Emergence of Generative Language

Instructional Programming to Promote the Emergence of Generative Language in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of several applied behavior teaching procedures on the use of multi-word utterances by children with autism.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Mand Training; Behavioral: Matrix; Behavioral: Stimulus Equivalence Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 9
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 2 years to 4 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Provide a diagnostic report confirming a diagnosis of ASD and/or obtain a total raw score of 15 or greater on the Social Questionnaire Lifetime Form (SCQ)
• Speaks primarily in one word utterances
• English as their primary language
• Follows simple 1-step instructions
• Transportation/availability to attend 3, 1-hour sessions each week for 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with significant problem behavior that interferes with structured intervention

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: One Baseline Session; Designated for participants #1 and #2. Participants complete 1 Baseline Session followed immediately by 12 weeks of standard treatment. Standard treatment will require the participant to attend clinic-based treatment sessions for 1 hour per day, 3 days per week, for 12 weeks. Standard treatment will consist of 3 components: mand training, matrix training, and stimulus equivalence training.	Behavioral: Mand Training; The mand training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to increase the participant's Mean Length of Utterances (MLU) when manding.; Behavioral: Matrix; The matrix training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to teach labeling of noun-verb and color-shape combinations using matrix training.; Behavioral: Stimulus Equivalence Training; The stimulus equivalence training component of treatment is designed to examine the emergence of untrained skills following the training of relational skills.
Experimental: Two Baseline Sessions; Designated for participants #3 and #4. Participants complete a Baseline Session followed by a 12 week wait period before repeating a Baseline Session followed immediately by 12 weeks of standard treatment. Standard treatment will require the participant to attend clinic-based treatment sessions for 1 hour per day, 3 days per week, for 12 weeks. Standard treatment will consist of 3 components: mand training, matrix training, and stimulus equivalence training.	Behavioral: Mand Training; The mand training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to increase the participant's Mean Length of Utterances (MLU) when manding.; Behavioral: Matrix; The matrix training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to teach labeling of noun-verb and color-shape combinations using matrix training.; Behavioral: Stimulus Equivalence Training; The stimulus equivalence training component of treatment is designed to examine the emergence of untrained skills following the training of relational skills.
Experimental: Three Baseline Sessions; Designated for participants #5 and #6. Participants complete a Baseline Session followed by two repetitions of the Baseline Session (each 12 weeks apart) and 12 weeks of standard treatment immediately following the third session. Standard treatment will require the participant to attend clinic-based treatment sessions for 1 hour per day, 3 days per week, for 12 weeks. Standard treatment will consist of 3 components: mand training, matrix training, and stimulus equivalence training.	Behavioral: Mand Training; The mand training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to increase the participant's Mean Length of Utterances (MLU) when manding.; Behavioral: Matrix; The matrix training component of treatment will consist of behavioral principles designed to teach labeling of noun-verb and color-shape combinations using matrix training.; Behavioral: Stimulus Equivalence Training; The stimulus equivalence training component of treatment is designed to examine the emergence of untrained skills following the training of relational skills.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Mean Length of Utterances (MLU) during manding	The mean length of utterances (MLU) during manding will be evaluated in a 10 minute probe. The goal of intervention is to increase of MLU to an average of 3 words per mand.	Baseline (Up to 24 Weeks), End of Standard Treatment (Up to 36 weeks)
Acquisition of noun-verb and color-shape combinations during tacting	The goal of intervention is mastery of 80% of evaluated noun-verb and color-shape targets.	Baseline (Up to 24 Weeks), End of Standard Treatment (Up to 36 weeks)
Emergence of intraverbal responses	The goal of intervention is the mastery of 80% of evaluated intraverbal responses (2 for each target, 18 total).	Baseline (Up to 24 Weeks), End of Standard Treatment (Up to 36 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Macarthur Bates-Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) Score	The Macarthur Bates-Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) is completed by a parent/caregiver and evaluates current word use . A higher score indicates the use of more words.	Baseline (Up to 24 Weeks), End of Standard Treatment (Up to 36 weeks)
Observe overall improvements in pragmatic language within social/play interactions with parents/caregivers, as measured on the Direct Observation of Spoken Language (DOSL).	A goal of the intervention is to observe an increase in spontaneous mands, an increase in spontaneous tacts, as well as an increase in intraverbal responses.	Baseline (Up to 24 Weeks), End of Standard Treatment (Up to 36 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Emory University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alice Shillingsburg, Emory University Assistant Professor

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 17, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): September 21, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 5, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 2, 2016
• Last Verified: December 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ASD, Children
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00080641